


The Chronos Killer

by Effenay



Category: Original Work
Genre: Alternate Universe - Steampunk, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Fortune Telling con artists, One Shot, Other, Time Travel, Time travelers, Victorian steampunk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-04
Updated: 2017-03-04
Packaged: 2018-09-28 06:40:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,436
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10077818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Effenay/pseuds/Effenay
Summary: In the world known as Prosperity, society was determined by the skill of your craft, the ingenuity of your work or the marvel your discovery. Magicians and scientists, alchemists, etc.; all who aim to build the blocks of the industrious nation are those with the highest regard. To meagre time travellers however, they played a bigger role in society behind closed doors as they keep the balance that kept the nation alive under the guise of fortune tellers or prophets.It was once said that when the Chronos Killer stands before you, death awaits for all who break the taboo. To a measly time traveller, it was only a matter of time until such an enigmatic existence were to catch up to him.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This was a submission I sent as a short story assignment to my Uni for a unit of creative writing. All of what I have written here is exactly as it was submitted to my prof, so what you see is the raw, unedited and unbeta work I've been meaning to post but I have been so reluctant to post in fear of someone taking the idea or something like that at the time. Well, since no idea is by no means original these days, I'd might as well run the risk of posting this and see how many views I get.
> 
> To those of you familiar with my work, when I said that I was never a romantic sort of person and more concept and plot, well, this one here's a testament to the matter as I was merely inclined to even not think of romance as an option.
> 
> Why do I even bring this topic up anyway?
> 
> Anyway, enjoy.

In the world known as _Prosperity,_ society was determined by the skill of your craft, the ingenuity of your work or the marvel your discovery. Magicians and scientists, alchemists, etc.; all who aim to build the blocks of the industrious nation are those with the highest regard. To meagre time travellers however, they played a bigger role in society behind closed doors as they keep the balance that kept the nation alive under the guise of fortune tellers or prophets.

It was once said that when the Chronos Killer stands before you, death awaits for all who break the taboo. To a measly time traveller, it was only a matter of time until such an enigmatic existence were to catch up to him.

Roman scratched his head as he flicked the pages one after another, hoping to find out more about this ruse. If truth were to be known that there was no such thing as the Chronos Killer, all time travellers would be free from all duties of their fortune telling schemes. But that was the problem. Just as Roman was about to announce to the entire conclave that were no such thing as anomalies or Chronos Killers, there would always be another form of evidence that would counter his disbeliefs. So, once more he returned to his books, researching and reviewing accounts of certain fortune tellers who have claimed to have seen and had a close encounter with the Chronos killer.

“Each and every one of them Tim,” Roman said exasperatingly to his pupil. “Every teller who has claimed to have seen the Chronos Killer all said that they saw a doppelganger of themselves, clad in a fortune-teller’s veil.”

“Dopplegangers,” his junior scoffed. “What is this, science fiction?”

Roman scoffed back at the thought, “That would be the day,” he dipped the wooden quill into the jar of ink. “You know what, Tim? I have tried it over and over again, visiting the times and places where there have been sightings of this Chronos Killer. For each visit, I found nothing in each of these scenarios that could prove of its existence, nothing but the victim’s chronolabe that was left lying on the ground.”

“If that’s the case, wouldn’t that be called serial kidnappings rather than an anomaly or some fairy tale?”

Roman slammed a tome shut and glanced from side to side. With a low voice he said, “If I were to prove that it is a serial kidnapping, I would have been able to do so from the beginning.”

“Wait. You really think that the Chronos Killer is a real person?”

“I certainly do believe that is the case,” Roman replied without hesitation. He leans in towards his pupil and whispered, “And I believe he’s a time traveller.”

Tim looked at Roman dubiously and scratched his head in response. Roman was not surprised at his pupil’s disbelief and began to pile the tome of archives onto the shelf. He turned to his chronolabe and frowned.

“Tim, looks like it’s time,” Roman knocked at the wood of Tim’s seat.

“Another customer?”

“Unfortunately,” Roman replied as he touched the inked pages of his notebook. “How are you fairing in controlling your abilities?”

“A tad bit better, sir. But I’m always five minutes too early in my _predictions._ ”

“Ha,” Roman chuckled haughtily, “better to be early than late. Do not worry, all you need to do is watch and learn.”

**

In the busy streets of the east side of the city, Tim sat at the edge of his seat as Roman tried to convince his latest customer.

“You will need to face your brother or else you won’t be able to find your future husband.”

A woman darted a look at Roman. Tim on the other hand was biting the edge of his tunic.

The woman said in disgust, “Are you talking to me?”

“Yes,” Roman said mercilessly, “I’m talking to you. I’m telling you now that for whatever reason you have for running away from your family, you’ve got to stop or else you won’t find what you are looking for.”

“Why should I listen to a fortune faker like you?” the woman retorted. “How would you know a thing about me?”

A sparkle of mischief glinted in Roman’s eyes. “Because I can tell you your future,” he said gallantly.

Tim choked in his own laughter at the sight of his instructor’s melodramatic performance. Roman in turn, glumly frowned at his pupil and cleared his throat.

“Forgive my apprentice,” Roman elbowed Tim on the head.

“Hey!” Tim recoiled at the pain.

Roman ignored him and added, “He doesn’t realize how serious this is.”

The woman was obviously displeased. “I’m sorry, but I’m not buying it.”

The woman turned her heel away from the two fortune tellers, much to Roman’s annoyance. _Looks like I’ll have to go with that card,_ he murmured to himself.

“The roses in your family’s garden were blue because you kept watering them with diluted ink,” Roman finally called out.

With those words, the woman stopped at her tracks.

“You wanted to grant your grandfather’s last wish of wanting to see a blue rose, so you purposefully watered the white roses with blue ink for a long time until his departure.”

 “Where did you hear that?” the woman snapped at him as she clomped her boots towards his direction. “Who told you?!”

“No one. As I have said, I can see your future.”

By the time she was a few paces away from the fortune teller’s booth, the woman’s eyes were fixed on Roman.

The woman sighed. “This better be worth my time… and money.”

“Ah, you know us too well,” Roman smiled. “I knew at that very moment I saw you, I knew that your path at this point is at the crossroads.”

The woman laughed boisterously, “Let me guess,” she mocked, “If I do not heed your warnings, I will meet with an uneventful life, having no future husband, no fame, no glory, and no hope for a better future and I will live to have a life of regret.”

Roman frowned at the woman. _She truly doesn’t let her guard down,_ he thought, _but…_

“Am I right or am I wrong, Faker?” the woman grimly smiled.

“Of course you are wrong,” Roman slapped his knee. “If you do not heed my warnings, you will disrupt the flow of the space-time continuum, rip the fabric of reality, and you will inevitably spend the rest of your days wandering aimlessly as an anomaly.”

There was a moment of silence between them until the woman began; “What planet are you from? Or have you drunk one too many? THERE IS NO SUCH THING!”

Tim jolted at the woman’s words while Roman shook his head and sighed.

“What next, tell me that the world is actually flat?!”

“Actually they haven’t proven that yet,” Tim murmured.

“That’s beside the point,” Roman scratched his head.

“Do not ignore me,” the woman slapped the table. “If you wanted to convince me, there were other methods you could have used.”

“Oh good. With that said, I’ll go straight to the point,” Roman signalled Tim to set an obsidian crystal ball on the table booth. “If you stay in this city any longer, not only will you meet misfortune, but there will be others who will suffer from it. You must go back to your roots and mend ties with your family. You must do this or else your future will–”

“Will meet with an uneventful life,” the woman concluded. “But I don’t want to go back and have my freedom taken–”

“I’m only telling you to mend ties with your family,” Roman interrupted, “But under any circumstances, you must never tell your brother of your financial circumstances. If you do, he will rob you of your independent life and would cause more harm on your end despite his genuine intentions.”

“… How am I supposed to do that?”

“Present him with this,” Roman reached his hands underneath the table. Seemingly unable to have found it, he hissed a whisper to Tim, “Tim, the item.”

“What item?” Tim asked.

Roman clicked his tongue. “I thought I told you to get it.”

“You never said anything abou–”

“Is something wrong?” the woman asked.

“…Just one moment,” Roman stood up.

He grabbed the chronolabe under his sleeve and hastened towards an alleyway. His eyes focused on the face of the chronolabe as the dials spun counter clock-wise while the digits rolled backwards. Within an instant, a chime rung out and the dials and digits ceased. On the face of the chronolabe, he read:

_“12:48 am, day x, week x, month x, year x”_

Roman looked to the sky and saw how grey it was. He turned to his left and saw the woman, Tim and the booth were all nowhere in sight. Without a second thought he dashed towards the closest Tabaco store and reached into his thick wallet. After he selected the set of cigars that were displayed in the luxury class selection, he paid his bill on the counter and hastened his way back to the alleyway.

The time traveller pulled out his Chronolabe once more and saw the dials and digits move forward. Another chime was heard from the device and turned to his pocket watch and compared it to the chronolabe. He turned his head towards the open streets and saw the booth, the woman and Tim on the side walk.

“Right on schedule,” he sighed in relief as he walked towards their direction.

“Sorry about that,” he hollered to the two individuals by the booth. “I thought I lost it, but here it is.”

“Sir, are you alright?” Tim asked.

“Huh?” Roman huffed, who realized he was gasping for air, “oh, no. I’m fine. As I was saying, madam. I think that this item could help you.”

Roman presented a box of cigars onto the woman’s hands. “I think that rather than telling your brother how you are faring, it’s a much better strategy to show him what you could afford.”

“Why sir,” the woman gasped at the price tag that hung from the corner of the box, “I couldn’t possibly afford such an expensive–”

“Take it,” Roman smiled as he wiped the sweat from his brow, “Present this to your family and tell them you are doing your very best effort in what you are doing. That would be enough to convince your brother.”

“But,” the woman looked suspiciously at Roman, “What if you are wrong? What if this won’t be enough to convince them?”

“Ah, if it doesn’t work out,” Roman chuckled, “Then by all means, you have my permission to throw those on my face.”

The woman opened her mouth, only to snap it shut and sighed.

“I must be going mad, listening to a con artist.”

Without another word, the woman left in the same way she came.

“There she goes,” Tim whistled. “Do you think it’ll work?”

“Who knows,” Roman shrugged, “Maybe she’ll ask for a refund.”

“But she didn’t pay.”

Roman revealed a cheque underneath the table.

“Oh.”

“The funny thing about our business is how payment comes to you in the most inconvenient time,” Roman tucked the cheque into Tim’s pocket, “In two months from now, she’ll come.”

It was within that moment Roman spotted a veiled figure that stood a few paces away from them. His eyes widened at the sight, his lips quivered as he spoke; “It cannot be…”

The veiled figure turned to the alleyway and disappeared from his sight. Roman grabbed Tim by the collar and dragged him has he hastened.

“Sir?”

“We have to hurry Tim! Before he disappears!”

Roman turned to the alleyway and witnessed the figure standing at the end of the alleyway, cornering another individual. Within that instant, both the veiled figure and the individual disappeared from his sight.

“Sir,” Tim gagged, “You’re strangling me…”

Roman released his pupil. “Did you see that Tim?”

“See what?” Tim coughed out his words.

Roman strode towards the end of the alleyway and spotted a Chronolabe and shred of paper.

By the time Tim caught up with Roman, Roman bent down to pick up the two objects. Without another word, Roman handed over the shred of paper and revealed to him a chronolabe.

Tim eyed the paper and squinted. “That’s one terrible handwriting there. It’s barely legible.”

 _“He is,”_ Roman said the words aloud. "It takes one to be able to read misshaped words like this. But I can’t figure out the letter next to _‘is,’_ it’s either an ‘n’ or an ‘m’ or even an ‘r.’ But this-” he raised the chronolabe to Tim, “-for something as valuable as this could only mean one thing.”

Tim eyed the chronolabe and grew pale as he grabbed the device from Roman. He turned to the shred of paper in his other hand.

“The Chronos Killer?”

Roman nodded. To be precise, this-” he grabbed the paper from Tim, “-might be proof that it is not an anomaly. The first two words, _‘he is’_ obviously tells me that whoever it was who disappeared, he definitely confirmed that the Chronos killer is a man.”

Roman scuffled to his feet and began to walk towards the direction of the sidewalk. Tim swallowed hard and ran to his instructor’s side.

“What now?” he asked.

“Nothing,” Roman gravely said. “For now, I’d might as well start writing down everything that’s happened today in my report.”

“Wonderful.”

**

In the next few weeks, Roman returned to his books once more, writing and comparing the details of the eye-witness accounts to his own experience. Due to the secrecy of the art of time travelling, he was no longer permitted to research in the library of public records as it would arouse suspicion amongst the staff members of what he was up to. And so he found himself in the time travellers’ secret headquarters, burying himself in the archives section.

“You are still hung up on that,” Irin, a fellow time traveller placed a cup of tea next to a pile of books. “You do realize you are stepping into the abyss, right?”

“There’s so much I just couldn’t understand,” Roman dropped his quill onto the ink bottle. “How am I supposed to prove that the Chronos Killer is not just some irregular phenomenon?”

“You do realize the gravity of your words, right?” Irin looked at him sternly. “Even if you are able to prove that the Chronos Killer is a real person and not an anomaly, the taboo will still exist and there will be consequences!”

“Sir!” Tim bursted into the room, carrying a tome with his two hands, “I did as you have asked, and I tell you, it was not a pretty sight.”

“And what did you do exactly?” Irin asked.

“Brother?” Tim slammed the tome onto the table. “I thought you would be back in the afternoon.”

“Plan’s changed,” Irin answered and turned to Roman. “Please don’t tell me that you just made my brother buy the entire archive of missing people.”

Roman sighed and plucked the quill from the jar and continued to scribble down more words.

“Wonderful,” Irin sipped from his cup, “I was a fool to let Tim study under you. The way things are going, he won’t survive in this business with the way you prioritize things.”

Returning the quill onto the jar, Roman flipped the tome open to the index, ran his finger along the list of words and flicked from page to page until he found what he was looking for.

“And I suppose at this point, my words fall on deaf ears.”

“I’m listening,” Tim said.

“Aha!” Roman stood up so suddenly, causing a pile of papers to flutter off the table.

“What is it?” Tim asked eagerly.

“There’s no time to explain,” Roman ripped away a few pages from the tome, slammed his notebook shut and stuffed a stash of material into his rucksack.

Irin dropped his jaw, horrified at the sight of the ripped pages.

“What have you done?!”

“Do me a favour Irin. Put these files back to where they came from,” Roman noted just before he disappeared into the door.

The two brothers looked at the pile mess that had to be cleaned up. In unison, the two brothers sighed.

“Wonderful.”

**

Roman hastened his steps outside the headquarters, clutching his chronolabe in his pocket whilst eyeing the other chronolabe he found several weeks back. With his thoughts replaying the report he ripped from the tome, his mind was filled with the images of his past:

How his life was turned upside-down after he discovered his power to leap through time. How his parents did not heed to his warnings despite the numerous times he tried to save them. How after all these years, he was still unable to save the very people he loved.

 _Never again,_ Roman held onto the thought, _I am going to save them this time for sure._ It was certain that he could go back in time to save his past self from the pain he experienced, had it not been a taboo. He was a firm believer in logic and had always believed that the taboo existed to hinder any time traveller’s potential. To him, finding the Chronos Killer in order to end this _pointless_ taboo was all that mattered to him.

As Roman hastened as his thoughts wandered aimlessly, a loud booming voice called out to him.

Roman’s eyes lit up and smacked his head onto the lamp-post before he realized it. A few giggles were heard from the on-lookers.

 _Of course you’d find yourself placed in this situation,_ Roman scoffed as he seethed in embarrassment.

“That was a wonderful show there,” the loud, booming voice called out once more, “Never thought I’d see the day when a fellow teller would be my next customer.”

Roman froze from where he stood. He turned to his left and saw a man with a short stature sitting on top of a stack carrier boxes.

Roman swallowed hard, “Why would a fortune teller take on another fortune teller to tell them their future?”

The tiny man grinned mischievously.

“Let’s say this is a request from a friend of a friend.”

“Right.”

“And at this point, you are clearly not interested.”

“Let me guess,” Roman took a deep breath, “If I do not heed your warning, I will meet with an unfortunate fate that would destroy the flow of the space-time continuum and live the rest of my life as a wandering anomaly.”

“Close,” the teller snapped his finger at him, “Actually, I am making an errand on behalf of a certain pupil of yours.”

“Of course he would make you–”

“He told me to tell you that the anomaly exists and that if you are going to pursue any further, it would be the end of you.”

Roman took a step back. “What?”

The man sighed, “I do not know what you are thinking, trying to disprove something that had already made a mark on the tellers’ society, but I think that you should stop what you are doing before it’s too late.”

Roman said nothing.

“Your pupil knows that what I’m doing won’t be able to change your mind, but, he hoped that I could at least try to make a dent on your stubborn head.”

“Tell him,” –Roman paused for a moment- “Tell him that my future is my own to make, and that he should stick his nose out of my business. If the Chronos Killer were to come at my doorstep, let him come because that would be my fault. Not anyone else’s.”

The man whistled cynically, “I tell you now that if you do not walk away from this, the Chronos Killer will take you away.”

“Let him come,” Roman retorted. He then grabbed the chronolabe from his pocket and handed it over to the man. “Here. You can hold onto that.”

Without another word, Roman turned around and strode away.

“You can still turn your back on this, you know!” the man hollered.

Roman raised his hand, bidding farewell as he moved forward, contemplating on the words of his fellow time traveller.

Without him noticing, the day had come to a close as the blue sky darkened into a dark velvet hue. The lights of the lamp-post flickered on, laying out a trail of spotlights onto the cobblestones. Roman tucked his hands into his pocket and whistled a tune as he followed the trail of spotlights into the unknown.

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to drop a comment on this, regarding story, grammar, inconsistencies, etc. :)


End file.
